PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Teachers deemed effective and highly effective will see less frequent evaluations now that Governor Chafee has allowed a bill delaying assessments for those teachers to become law on...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Teachers deemed effective and highly effective will see less frequent evaluations now that Governor Chafee has allowed a bill delaying assessments for those teachers to become law on Tuesday.

Chafee also could have vetoed or signed the bill.

The version of the legislation approved by the General Assembly requires that any teacher rated as “highly effective” be evaluated every three years. Any teacher rated as “effective” will be evaluated every two years. Teachers with any other evaluation mark will still be subject to annual assessments.

Chafee explained his decision by saying he supports safeguards in the legislation that allow principals to observe a teacher’s classroom at any time. However, he noted reservations.

“With a recent report showing 95 percent of Rhode Island teachers are rated as “highly effective” or “effective,” this legislation essentially does away with an important and relevant annual process, which has been an enhancement to the reputation of our system of education,” Chafee said. “I believe the provision is an incentive that may reduce the motivation for teachers to participate in professional development and growth activities.”

Tim Duffy, executive director of the Rhode Island Association of School Committees, said the organization favored keeping evaluation procedures unchanged.

“We would have preferred to see the evaluations remain as part of the regulatory process. …. However, the fact that the legislature adopted [the state Department of Education’s] cyclical model allows principals the discretion to observe classrooms at any time and preserves the right of school committees and unions to negotiate additional standards,” Duffy said.

An earlier version of the bill would have gutted teacher evaluations by moving from annual evaluations to evaluations every four to five years, depending on whether a teacher was ranked as effective or highly effective.

Faced with strong teachers’ union opposition, state Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist in April backed away from annual evaluations for all teachers and instead adopted a so-called cyclical model of every two to three years.

Duffy said the final bill doesn’t remove other evaluation criteria, such as setting personal goals and setting student learning objectives. It also permits districts to set tougher standards through the contract negotiation process.

In other action taken Tuesday, the governor signed a bill allowing Twin River Casino, the state’s only full-scale casino, to begin extending lines of credit of up to $50,000 to its patrons.

Gerald Aubin, the state Lottery director, has said it is common practice for casinos to allow patrons to gamble on credit, citing casinos in Delaware and West Virginia that are also operated by state lotteries.

Chafee vetoed legislation that would have created a local property tax exemption for developers while construction was under way at some residential property developments. He vetoed the same legislation last year.

Exemptions would have applied for two years from either the date the property was sold or the date on which the project was permitted, whichever was earlier.

“Unfortunately, the tax exemption in this bill would burden cities and towns that have also been hit hard by the recession and by cuts to municipal aid. In order for municipalities to offset the revenue loss from this tax exemption, all other property taxpayers would have to make up the difference,” Chafee said.

The governor said he would have signed the bill if it simply gave municipalities the choice of whether to grant tax exemptions to facilitate construction.